SESTRIERE, Italy — American skeleton racer Kevin Ellis broke a vertebra in his back Thursday while competing against members of the U.S. luge team in a non-Olympic sledding event being filmed for television.

Ellis was being transported to a hospital in Turin for further evaluation and treatment, said U.S. Olympic Committee spokesman Darryl Seibel. There was no immediate word on Ellis’ condition, but the first-time Olympian did have movement in his extremities, Seibel said.

“There is no paralysis,” Seibel said.

Ellis, a 32-year-old accountant from Dallas, was 17th in the men’s skeleton competition at the Turin Games. He was ranked a career-best fourth in this season’s World Cup standings.

Ellis was one of five athletes in a friendly sliding competition at the Snow Zone, an organized sledding hill in Sestriere on Thursday, joined by skeleton Olympians Eric Bernotas and Katie Uhlaender and luge Olympians Christian Niccum and Erin Hamlin.

The competition was filmed and scheduled to be aired later in the Olympics by NBC.

Modano skips final U.S. meeting

TURIN, Italy — Mike Modano packed up his stuff and left Italy on Thursday morning, skipping a final meeting with his Olympic teammates after they were eliminated a night earlier in the men’s hockey quarterfinals.

USA Hockey spokesman Dave Fischer said the longtime Dallas Stars forward — who sharply criticized team management after the Americans’ elimination Wednesday — was the only member of the 23-player squad not to gather at the arena where the Americans were knocked out by Finland.

Modano lashed out after he was benched by coach Peter Laviolette for most of the third period of the 4-3 loss.

“A lot of guys have been there for many years, and maybe we need some new blood in there to run things a little differently,” said Modano, who has represented the U.S. in 11 international competitions. “It’s probably time some things changed.”

Modano isn’t expected to be in the roster mix for the 2010 Games in Vancouver, when he will be near 40.

Davis drops out of 10,000

TURIN, Italy — Charles Ryan Leveille was picked to take fellow American Shani Davis’ spot in the 10,000 meters, the final men’s speedskating race of the Turin Games.

Kildow in giant slalom?

SESTRIERE, Italy — American Lindsey Kildow’s injured back was feeling better Thursday, leaving open the possibility that she would race in today’s Olympic giant slalom.

(Click here if you are unable to view this photo gallery on your mobile device) The Ruth Bancroft Garden in Walnut Creek celebrates the life of its founder Ruth Bancroft who died at 109 on November 26, 2017. The Ruth Bancroft Garden is a nonprofit public dry garden that was planted by Mrs. Ruth Bancroft in 1972 and was opened to the...